An Old Fashion Australian Favourite – Jelly Cakes and Hosting an Italian Student

These Jelly cakes or Peach Blossom cakes are an old fashion Australian favourite. Small vanilla cakes sandwiched with whipped cream or mock cream, dipped in jelly (jello) and rolled in coconut these cakes are dainty and sweet. The best things about Jelly Cakes is that they freeze very well and defrost in a matter of moments.

Recently our family was honoured to host an Italian student from Mantova visiting our town for 10 days. She was one of 15 students on the tour. My daughter’s school exchanges with schools in Mantova. Last year our students were hosted in Mantova and were made to feel very welcome by the families who opened their homes and hearts to our Aussie kids.

So came our turn. We were excited and anxious. Waiting as the days passed slowly. Planning and thinking of what would be the best way to show an Italian student our Australian tropical wonders and delights in such a short period of time. I thought about the food! What would I cook that would show our cusine, our tastes, our different cultures that have merge into one?

The most simple but good, often please!

Jelly cakes, peaches, peach blossom cakes – whatever you like to call them these little cakes were my host daughter’s favourite. They are really easily made from simple ingredients and can be stored in the freezer.

You will require gem irons to make the traditional shape but if not the cake can be baked in a cake pan then cut into squares.

What a pleasure it was to host our Italian student! We have learnt so much about a country and a people we thought we already knew and we have suprisingly learnt about us – our family. While we are Australians with a strong Italian heritage, we are more. Unknowingly we have absorbed from the various cultures that make up our great, wide land. We are, our children are, what will be the future face of Australia – a people of many nations blended into one. Australia is still evolving- we are young and we have much to learn but my, what a future we have!

Our Italian student also watched, learnt and experienced much of what Australia has to offer. She has left Australia but not our hearts, returning to Italy with a new understanding of another culture – a very diverse culture.

So, we thought we were going to share and teach about our world! How little did we know! That’s why it’s called an exchange – an exchange of ideas, thoughts and values. A glimpse into one an other’s world.

What a gift!

Have hosted an exchange student? If you haven’t, would you like to?

Blessings to you,
Marcellina xx

Print

Peach Blossoms or Jelly cakes

Prep Time

1hrs

Cook Time

30mins

Total Time

1hrs30mins

This Australian favourite small cake is known under various names commonly Jelly Cakes but we like to call them Peach Blossoms. Vanilla cake is sandwich with whipped cream or mock cream then dipped in cooled but not set jelly (jello) and rolled in coconut

Servings: 40cakes

Ingredients

For the cake batter

4oz/ 125g butter

5oz/ 140g castor sugar

1teaspoonvanilla

2eggs

2cups/ 250g self raising flour

or the 250g all purpose flour with the appropriate amount of baking powder added

1/2cup/ 125ml milk

To assemble Peach Blossoms/Jelly cakes

85gpacket raspberry jelly (or Jell-o)

1cup boiling water

1 cupcool water

Whipped cream or prepared mock cream

coconut

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

Beat butter and sugar to a cream. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time then beat well. Sift flour and add alternately with the milk. Mix lightly into a soft dough.

If using gem iron, spray with nonstick cooking spray then carefully place a small teaspoonful in each depending on the size of your gem irons.

If using a cake pan, grease and line with baking paper a 9in/23cm square cake pan. Fill with the batter smooth and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Your cakes should be lightly browned and risen.

To assemble your blossoms

Dissolve jelly crystals in the boiling water then add cold water. Allow to stand in the refrigerator until beginning to set or until the consistency of egg white.

Sandwich two halves together with cream.

If your not using gem irons you will need to cut your cake into small squares about 1in/ 2.5cm square. Hopefully you cake is about 2in/ 5cm high. Cut each square through the middle then sandwich back together with cream.

Dip your joined cakes into the partly set jelly then roll in coconut. Refrigerate or freeze to keep for longer.

Ohhhh, I picked up a little gem iron on ebay and have been itching to use it. Must bookmark this recipe. They look absolutely delicious. I think the perfect sweet treat to introduce to international visitors!

Thanks so much everyone for your kind comments!A gem iron is a cast iron baking tin divided into 12 rounded sections as in the second photo. These are available in good kitchenware shops in Australia or often in second hand shops. Also available online, I have noticed. Failing that, mini muffin tins could be used. Good luck and happy baking!

What a lovely post Marcelina, we Aussies indeed have a wonderful future to look forward to. I was quite interested to read that when you are not cooking Italian food, you do Asian/Indian. I smiled, because when I am not cooking Asian or Indian, I cook Italian! (which means at least once or twice a week):)

these peach blossoms are new to me so thanks for the sharing !! and my son just come back from Adelaide !Pierre de Parisif you like creative french cuisine come and visit me you are very welcome ! http://pierre.cuisine.over-blog.com

Marcellina – how great it must have been for your Italian exchange student to have stayed with you and eaten your food! I wish I had a chance to experience being an exchange student when I was younger… it is really a great way to open your eyes to other cultures.

They sell cakes like these here, I think Drakes or Hostess, and are called jelly fingers or something like that. However, they're not peach, they're not filled with as much cream as yours, and there's no way they could taste as good as your beauties. I must try these!

I grew up with these & every time I go back to my small home town in North Queensland, these are the first things I buy! I really need to get some gem irons so I can make them for my friends in Sydney. Thanks ��

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